Rob, from Whitefield, went to a signing at the club shop following City’s win over Stoke at Wembley in May 2011, the club’s first piece of silverware in 35 years.

There he met Johnson along with current star David Silva and now former midfielder Nigel De Jong, who had all starred in the landmark game.

Manchester City fan Rob Mullen who had tattoo of former City player Adam Johnson (Image: Matt Ratcliffe)

Etihad season-ticket holder Rob got all three of them to sign his leg with a marker pen before the next day racing to a local tattoo parlour in Whitefield to have them permanently inked.

However he was left shell-shocked when Johnson, who left the club in the summer of 2012 to join Sunderland, was last year arrested on suspicion of sex offences

And he has now decided he wants it removed after Johnson last week admitted grooming and having sexual activity with a schoolgirl.

He denies two other charges of sexual activity with a child with a trial currently ongoing at Bradford Crown Court.

WATCH: Robert Mullen speaks about his tattoo

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

However 28 year-old Johnson, who also won the Premier League title with City in 2012 has already been sacked by Sunderland following the guilty pleas.

And Rob, who works at a jewellers in Manchester city centre, said he has been increasingly embarrassed at having the star’s name written on his leg as details of the case have emerged from the courtroom.

Both his mum and his girlfriend have also told him to have it removed, though it is likely to be a costly procedure.

And he is now appealing for a tattoo specialist or remover to come forward and help him out.

Manchester City fan Rob Mullen

He told the M.E.N: “At the time I got it done he was probably my favourite player. I even changed my name on Facebook to Robert ‘Adam Johnson’ Mullen.

“The FA Cup win was huge for us so I wanted to do something to celebrate and thought that would look pretty cool.

“But I obviously never expected any of this to happen.I started to get a bit of stick when first got arrested but he was denying everything.

“It’s obviously got a hundred times worse since he admitted what he has. It does feel weird having the name of someone like that on you.

“I just want to get it removed as soon as possible.”

He added: “Neither me mum or my girlfriend were very chuffed when I originally got it done so they definitely want to get rid of it.”